Lacing in and out of the crowds, I hustled through Nickerson field and read sign after sign. “Acapella, Theatre,” sounds like fun—but not for me. Like BU’s other new students, I was at SPLASH searching for my niche at Boston University.

Navigating SPLASH is not an easy task. It’s hot, crowded, and there are so many tables, you never know if you missed one with the perfect opportunity waiting for you.

After SPLASH came the emails. I signed up for way too many groups and spent my first few weeks at BU with club meetings basically every night. How else would I know where I wanted to spend my free time?

As a recent transfer student to Boston University, I viewed extracurricular activities as a vital part of my transition into the BU community. At my old school, getting involved as the editor of an online magazine my freshman year helped me realize I want to pursue a career that combines communication and art.

During my first few weeks here, I picked out the clubs I found most interesting and relevant to my major: Photojournalism in COM. I’m now the Photography Director of The Buzz, BU’s Lifestyle Magazine, and an Editor of Her Campus BU.

Even if you don’t share my love of writing and photography, find the extracurricular activities that interest you. Getting involved around campus is a great way to explore your interests, possible majors and even future career paths.

If you missed SPLASH or didn’t find what you were looking for, visit BU Student Activities online (insert link to bu.edu/youdo), or check Twitter and Facebook to explore your options. Ask around to see if your friends are in any interesting clubs.

I found my major by getting involved and so can you—or you can at least have fun trying out some new activities!

Like many other students, I was undeclared when I first arrived at Boston University. I had a few ideas of what I might pursue, like business and international relations, but no concrete plans. As a College of General Studies student for my first two years at BU, I was able to complete my general requirements while taking an elective of my choice each semester. Each elective I took was an introductory course to topics such as microeconomics and macroeconomics. I figured the best way to find my major was to try new things. Unfortunately, taking introductory courses didn’t help as much as I thought it would.

I turned to an academic advisor and, after expressing my slight interest in business, I registered to take SMG SM299, Management as a System (a course that all transfer students into School of Management from both outside and within BU are required to complete). Taking this course was the best decision I’ve made so far at BU as it led to my decision to continue on to SMG. When I first arrived at BU, I felt lost amidst the multitude of majors, but now I have found my place in the world of business and management and have never felt happier.

After driving nearly 20 hours in a van, we pulled into Nashville, TN: our home for the week. We were tired, but ready to work! While other BU students spent their spring break relaxing in exotic places, we were working hard building wheelchair ramps as a part of BU’s 2011 Alternative Spring Breaks (ASB) program.

As a sophomore, I felt unhappy at BU and questioned my college selection. I was far from home and lonely. My application to the ASB co-coordinator position was an impulsive response to an email from the Community Service Center in attempt to find my place on campus.

After my eventual hire and the following months of planning, there we were: on the front lawn of a woman we didn’t know. While our 12-member group began to work, I looked around at all these strangers who suddenly had become friends. Though we were all different, we united in our common purpose, and later watched that same woman cry with joy as she rolled down the ramp we had built for her.

At a large university like BU, it’s easy to feel lonely and lost without a direction. Unlike in high school, you have to fight to be noticed and recognized as special. But there in Nashville, hundreds of miles away from Boston, I became a part of this small BU community. I realized the limitless possibilities that were in store for me as a BU student.

Sometimes, you have to fight for the experiences you want and the future you desire for yourself. For me, it took a little bit of sawdust and 2x4s, to realize that BU has everything I need as long as I’m willing to look.

BU is a big school that offers a lot of majors, and I get it: being undecided is tough. Your friends may know what they’re majoring in while you’re still wandering through general requirements.

Hopefully the following tips will help you find some clarity.

A major is only a set of classes.

Your major does not determine your future. Ultimately, your major comes down to a set of 10-15 classes, so do your research before you declare.

Do your research.

If you’re going to spend $56,184, you should know what classes you’re taking for your money. Look at the list of majors and minors online and find the set of classes that appeals to you.

You can only be good at what you practice.

Think about skills you want gain and develop after college because some majors will require you to practice a specific skill. For example, the College of Communication public relations concentration focuses on general writing technique, but the College of Arts and Sciences International Relations courses emphasized creating and defending arguments.

Remember, it’s okay to give yourself time to choose a major. Boston University has over 250 areas of study – find what suits you and you can’t go wrong.

I picked my major after going through the 2009 hard-copy bulletin and reading descriptions of every single classes BU offered. I highlighted the classes that sounded interest and I chose the section with the most yellow in it: Public Relations in COM. I love it.

Before you attend a Career Expo, make sure your resume is up to date and error-free. You should bring multiple copies of your resume in case you’re interested in more than one employer.

Dress appropriately – a two-piece matching suit in a dark conservative color, like navy or black, will do just fine. You want to follow a business formal dress code. Even if you don’t have a suit, you should try to dress as professionally as possible.

In addition to preparing all the necessary documents and dressing properly, you should also practice how you might approach potential employers. Personally, I find it helpful to practice my elevator pitch out loud. Check out this video about creating your elevator pitch on the CCD website. It is important to appear confident and reserved when talking with an employer. After you speak with an employer about their organization and potential employment, let them know that you plan to follow up with them within a certain amount of time. Following up is a great way to show your continued interest in joining the organization.

Career expos are full of opportunities that may eventually lead you to an interview or even an internship. Just remember: bring all necessary documents, dress to impress, and stay confident!

Majors are like a box of chocolates: you have to sample them to figure out which one is your favorite. I really took this to heart freshman year and tried out everything from an introduction to architecture to macroeconomics, from Italian to psychology before finally applying to Sargent College’s Human Physiology program in September. I didn’t know for a while if this was the right choice for me. I wanted to explore Boston University’s multitude of majors and worried that if I declared too soon, I would miss out on other amazing opportunities.

I found out last week that I was accepted into the Human Physiology program and I think it will be the perfect fit for me. I wanted a major that prepared me for medical school and provided a close community of students and faculty. One day, I’d like to attend medical school and be accepted into a joint MD/PhD program.

Boston University offers a lot of options for students. And, as I learned from my experience, the best way to explore these possibilities is to keep an open mind and keep on sampling.